


We've Got work To Do

by sasha_dragon



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen, Hurt Dean Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-30
Updated: 2019-11-30
Packaged: 2021-02-26 15:53:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21620743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sasha_dragon/pseuds/sasha_dragon
Summary: The Winchesters have faced yet another would be apocalypse and won. You would think, they’d be able to enjoy a little peace and quiet, but fate, the Secret Service and Chuck have other plans for them.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16
Collections: Supernatural





	We've Got work To Do

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Are we still doing these? Look, I don't own ‘em, never have and I don't make a penny out of these little scribbles, so please don't sue.  
> Notes: This is how I would've wanted the show to end fic. It won't happen as it's been Kripked to hell and back since it was started back in April before the episode Games Night.
> 
> I still wanted to finish this story as I'm a sucker for a hopeful ending, even though we’ve lost several beloved characters along the way. You’ll notice that there’s a few shoutouts to a few of my favourite shows, such as Angel, Buffy and Criminal Minds. I’m sure you’ll be able to spot them.
> 
> There's a couple of people who I'd like to thank for their help with this. First BigJ52, a beta without compare who turns my scribbles into English. And chellexxx, Obi enabler, partner in crime and handholder extraordinaire. Thank you for putting up with my wibbling.

The Impala hurtled down the road as the brothers sat in shell-shocked silence. In the last seven days, their world had fallen apart. First, they'd had to deal with Lucifer’s escape from the Empty and then he released the Shedim from their cage. Now the fallen Archangel was enjoying the carnage, his pets unleashed on an unsuspecting world.

The Winchesters hit the road to save as many people as possible. During one rescue mission, they were shocked to discover Chuck and Amara had returned. Chuck finally decided it was time to deal with his errant child once and for all. The only problem was Lucifer didn't want to go to his room like a good little boy. Instead, he called his pets to him and went on the hunt for his father and his aunt.

In his desire to gain revenge on his family, Lucifer had overlooked one minor detail. He'd forgotten he couldn't control the Shedim, and that was the reason he locked them away in the first place. It was only going to be a matter of time before they turned and bit the hand, arm, and torso that fed them.

The inevitable happened as Lucifer led his creatures to attack a small town. Sam, Dean, Cas, Jack and Rowena were among the hunters trying to defend the townspeople and they watched as the Shedim turned on their master.

Sam couldn't find it in his heart to pity Lucifer as the Shedim tore into him. Sam flinched as Lucifer screamed and, in the end, he had to turn away. Rowena, on the other hand, had no such problem and watched the fallen angel’s end with a savage joy in her eyes.

As Lucifer’s screams died away and the Shedim, who were attracted to the scent of power, turned their hungry gaze to Cas, Jack, and Rowena. Dean took one look at what was happening and barked out an order. ”Get to the Impala now! We’ll lead these sons of bitches away from here.” They ran for the car, knowing they were being chased.

Dean tore the door open, flung himself inside, turned the key and gunned the engine. Sam and Cas were giving covering fire, and soon as Jack and Rowena were inside, Sam dove into the passenger seat. As Cas closed the door Dean pulled away. Rowena rolled down her window and hurled a couple of fire balls at the creatures. There was an angry growl and she looked at Dean and snapped, “Well, what are you waiting for?”

Dean grinned. “Yes, Ma’am.” He pressed on the gas, careful not to get too far ahead of the Shedim. Once they were clear of the town, he was confident he’d lose them. They’d been driving for thirty minutes and Dean could no longer see the tell-tale sign of pursuit. “Let’s head back to the Bunker, where we can regroup and figure out what to do next.”

Without Lucifer to keep them in check, the Shedim ran riot, leaving a trail of mutilated bodies in their wake. They attacked every supernatural creature that crossed their path. Vampires, ghouls, werewolves and even fellow demons, nothing was safe from them. The more creatures they devoured, the stronger they became.

Now they were free, the Shedim began to multiply at an alarming rate. Which meant the supply of Supernatural creatures couldn't keep up with demand. Facing starvation, the Shedim turned their attention towards a more plentiful food supply. Humans were now on the menu, and hunters engaged in a desperate battle to save as many people as they could.

For three weeks the Winchesters fought non-stop, with hardly enough time to eat, sleep or even stock up on ammo.

After the first few skirmishes with the Shedim, hunters quickly realized the Shedim were not impervious to bullets. They discovered if enough bullets were pumped into them, it was possible to get close enough to decapitate them. It was a risky but effective tactic.

The Winchesters embraced the tactic with open arms, using it to great effect. They went from place to place killing as many Shedim as they could. Their latest battle saw them in Oklahoma, and as usual, Cas, Rowena, and Jack hit the Shedim with everything they had. Sam and Dean backed them up, firing round after round into the Shedim until they dropped.

Sam watched with satisfaction as Jack blasted the last creature standing. It fell to the ground, writhing and howling as its scaly skin split and its blood boiled.

Dean walked over and pumped a couple more rounds into it. "It'd be quicker if we could get them in one place and fry them," Dean said as he tucked his gun into the waistband of his jeans. Sam frowned as a glimmer of an idea began to form.

Dean tilted his head. "I know that look. That giant brain of yours has come up with a way we can get rid of these things."

Sam nodded. "Let's get back to the Bunker and I'll tell you."

As they walked to the Impala, Sam sauntered over to Castiel. "Cas, I need you to do something for me." Sam smiled mischievously as he explained to the angel what he wanted him to do.

It was quiet in the Impala for a change. Usually when Rowena, Jack and Cas were in the back seat all he could hear was squabbling. For once the three of them were behaving. Dean glanced into the rear view mirror to make sure they were still in the back.

Rowena was looking out of the window with a satisfied smile playing on her lips. Jack was leaning against the other window watching the world roll by, and Cas was sitting between them, with his eyes closed and his lips moving. At first, Dean thought Cas was praying, he looked again and frowned. If he didn’t know better, he could’ve sworn Cas was singing to himself. There was something very familiar about the phrasing. Dean kept watching Cas trying to follow the rhythm. He’d nearly got it when Sam spoke.

“How long till we get back to the Bunker?”

Dean tapped the steering wheel with his fingers and yawned. “Two or three hours if you want to get some shut eye.”

“I’m fine, thanks. You want me to drive for a while?” He looked over at Dean.

Dean shook his head. “Naw, I’m good. You just keep working on your plan.”

“Don’t worry, I am.” Sam answered with a smile. Dean took one look at that smile and gripped the wheel tighter. He knew that look only too well, it usually meant someone was in for trouble. Dean pressed down a little harder on the gas and urged the Impala on.

Dean opened the Bunker’s door and led the way inside. He pointed to the meeting room. “Lady and gentlemen, please take a seat. I’ll be serving refreshments in the drawing room.”

Rowena swept past him. “I shudder to imagine what you call refreshments,” she commented as she sat down.

Dean smiled and carried on to the liquor cabinet. “Jack,can you come and give me a hand please?” Dean handed the young Nephilim four glasses, then walked over to the table carrying a bottle of whisky. 

Jack put the glasses down and sat by Castiel. Dean dropped a bag of chilli lime jerky in front of Rowena and opened the bottle of whisky. Rowena arched an eyebrow at Dean and sighed.” I suppose this counts as fine dining for you Winchesters?” She asked as she pushed the jerky to one side and reached for a glass.

“Dean’s idea of fine dining is to add a dash of Nacho flavoured Easy Cheese to the jerky. I’m afraid we’re roughing it a bit tonight,” Sam said dryly as Rowena curled her lip in disgust. He knew Dean was a hell of a cook, but it didn’t hurt to ruffle the redhead’s feathers from time to time.

Dean grinned as he poured everyone except Jack a drink. "You're too young for the hard stuff. Come and ask me again when you're four." He winked as he sat down and took a drink.

Dean savoured the heat of the whisky as it slid smoothly down his throat, then looked at Sam. "Ok, I’ve waited three hours to hear this. What's your big idea for barbecuing these sons of bitches?"

Before Sam could answer, Chuck and Amara appeared, setting off every alarm in the Bunker. Chuck rolled his eyes, clicked his fingers and the alarms stopped. "That's better, my head's killing me and it's all his fault." Chuck pointed at Cas, as he snatched Dean's drink out of his hand, and drained it in one.

"What do you mean?" Asked Dean, as he fetched two more glasses, pouring himself and Amara a drink. He ignored Chuck's outstretched hand as he signalled for a refill.

"He's been screaming in my ear for hours. I had to come here to get him to stop." Chuck glared at Cas, as Dean took pity and refilled his glass.

"I'm sorry, but Sam said we needed you here as soon as possible. We weren't sure it was going to work." Cas didn't look at all apologetic.

"Praying I get, but why were you yowling ‘Stairway to Heaven’ like a strangled cat?" Chuck moaned.

Cas shrugged. "Sam said that song had a profound effect on him when Lucifer sang it to him."

Sam tried to stifle his grin. "I didn't mean Cas to sing Stairway on a loop. I was trying to illustrate how to wear someone down to get their attention."

"Well it worked. We're here, and now I'll never be able to listen to Led Zeppelin again. It's all your fault." Chuck looked daggers at Sam.

"How are you and Amara coping with the Shedim?" Sam asked to distract a very wrathful looking Chuck.

We're smiting them as fast as we can. But they've gotten stronger and they're breeding like proverbial rabbits. It's gotten so bad we've split up to cover more ground." Sam noticed how dishevelled and tired Chuck and Amara looked. If they were struggling to cope, then time was running out.

"I've had an idea of how to take out all the Shedim at once," Sam exclaimed.

"Couldn't you ask Cas to tell me that?" Chuck groaned.

"I could've, but I wanted to discuss this face-to-face with you. If my idea is workable, then I want to lure them here and ambush them." Sam replied.

"Ok, Sammy, what's the big idea?" Dean asked.

"If we were to combine yours, Amara, Cas, Jack and Rowena's powers together, would it wipe out the Shedim?" Everyone looked expectantly at Chuck, as he considered Sam's question.

"Can you and Amara even combine your powers; we're talking light and dark here. Ain't that kind of like oil and water?" Dean wondered.

"Put it this way. If it goes wrong you won't be around to worry about the Shedim anymore," Chuck replied.

Sam slumped in his seat. He'd been hoping to use Chuck and Amara's combined power to wipe out the Shedim. Judging by Chuck's response it was back to the drawing board. "Looks like we'll have to think of something else," he said as he slumped down in his seat.

Chuck raised his hand. "Hang on, Sam. It is possible to combine all our powers. We're going to have to be careful about it, that's all. One wrong move and we could obliterate the Midwest. But overall, it's not a bad plan."

There was a tense silence as everyone absorbed Chuck's words. Dean drained his drink and put down his glass. "Say we do manage to combine everyone's powers, how are we going to deliver the payload?"

Sam reached for the bottle and topped up everyone's glass. He sighed as he sipped his whiskey. "That's the part of the plan I'm still working on."

Dean swirled the whiskey around his glass, as he silently contemplated the problem. He looked at Sam. "How about another soul bomb? We're going to need something that will attract the Shedim, right? If we load someone up with enough juice, they'll be like an all you can eat buffet. Then as the Shedim are about to chow down. Boom." He stared determinedly at Sam, daring him to trash his idea.

"That's not a bad plan. All the Shedim care about is food and fornication." Rowena sat forward. "We know they're not the sharpest tools in the shed. They'll be too busy salivating over their tasty wee snack to realize it's a trap." Rowena sat back with a smile.

Sam agreed with Dean's plan in principle, because it was the most logical way to lure the Shedim. But it was going to cost someone their life. Sam shifted uneasily in his seat as he watched Dean, he knew that look. He hoped he was wrong about what was going through his brother's mind. Sam looked over at Cas and by the look on angel's face, he'd come to the same conclusion.

Cas leaned forward. "Dean's plan has merit but…" Cas paused as he folded his hands together.

"But who's gonna go boom with the Shedim?" Dean gave Cas a half-smile as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, if you're looking for a volunteer, I'd say you've found the right guy for the job."

Sam sat forward and growled. "I've had enough of this self-sacrificing shit. We'll find another way."

Dean raised his hand in protest, "You think I want to be a snack for the Shedim? You're the brains behind this, and everyone else here is bringing the firepower. I'm the logical choice and you know it."

Sam ground his teeth together in frustration, he couldn't think of any other way to lure the Shedim to their doom. But why did it automatically have to be Dean who was bait? Sam looked around the table and realized his brother had a point, but who else could they ask? He'd already seen what would happen if you tried to take Chuck off the table. He couldn't even imagine asking Jack or Cas to do it, they were family. And if he volunteered to do it, then Dean would walk into the middle of the Shedim with him. Sam smiled grimly, well two could play that game. If Dean was going to do this then he wouldn't be going in alone.

Dean's eyes narrowed and Sam knew his brother had figured out what he was thinking. Dean clenched his jaw and sat forward, ready to argue.

"I'm sure the two of you are going to spend the next few hours bickering about who's going to sacrifice themselves. But I'm going to have to burst your bubble. I'm afraid neither of you strapping young men would be able to handle the power." Rowena took a sip of her whiskey as Dean looked at her incredulously.

"Come again? What about when you turned me into a soul bomb? I had thousands of souls inside of me, and I kept it together long enough to get to Amara." He looked across at Amara. "No offense, but you were trying to end the universe at the time."

Amara waved a hand at Dean. "None taken. Thanks to you it all worked out right in the end. I got my brother back." She smiled warmly at Chuck. "But Rowena has a point, it's different this time."

Dean looked like he was about to argue with Amara. Rowena reached across the table and rested her hand on Dean's. "Remember what it felt like when I put all those souls inside of you?

“Yeah, it stung a little," Dean unconsciously rubbed at his chest.

"’It stung a little’. Well, I suppose that's one way of describing me firing thousands of souls into you. Dean, you barely survived the process and you know it." Rowena arched her eyebrow at him.

Sam knew Rowena's magic had done more than ‘sting a little'. Dean told him it felt like his bones had been set on fire, while his internal organs were liquidized. Every second had been agony, the thought of it still gave Sam nightmares.

"That was the whole point of the soul bomb. I wasn't supposed to survive." Dean pointed out.

Rowena rolled her eyes. "That's very true, but the real problem is just how much power you'd have to absorb this time. Dean, you're talking about the power of an Angel, an Arch Angel's Nephilim and the most powerful witch in the world. That's before you consider the celestial beings who created the universe. My dear boy, you'll be incinerated on the spot."

"Crap! You're right, that might be an issue." Dean frowned as he chewed absently on his lip. He looked up suddenly. "How about we grab a Vamp or something and power them up instead. They're a supernatural creature. Would they survive?"

Rowena tilted her head to the side. "That's not a bad idea, but you'd have to get your hands on an alpha for them to stand a chance."

Dean sagged in defeat and ran his fingers through his hair. "Shit, we're screwed."

Rowena pursed her lips. "Don't start throwing the pity party yet. You don't get to be the most powerful witch in the world without learning a few tricks. And that's why I'll be the one to deliver Sam's little surprise."

Everyone stared at Rowena in shock. "What? You don't think I can't be selfless? I think over three hundred years is a pretty good inning and what better way for me to go out than saving the world?" Rowena grabbed the whiskey bottle, and poured herself a generous measure. She drained the glass in one then slammed the glass down. "Now, how about we get those nasty wee beasties here before I come to my senses?

The decision had been made, now all they had to do was ring the dinner bell. Chuck and Amara stopped cloaking their power and soon the Bunker's phones began to ring. Hunters reported the Shedim were on the move. They'd felt the irresistible pull of power and were heading for Lebanon at breakneck speed.

Sam was in the War Room poring over a map of the town, looking for the best place to trap the Shedim. As much as Sam hated to do this to his adopted home, it was too risky to let Shedim get too close to the Bunker. There were too many magical objects inside, and if the plan didn't work, Sam didn't want them to have access to even more raw power.

He'd just found the perfect place for the ambush as Rowena approached him. She seemed nervous, which was unusual for her.

Rowena took a deep breath. "When the time comes, I'm going to need you to do something for me, Samuel."

"Anything for you, Rowena." Sam smiled down at the tiny witch.

"I want you to shoot me." Sam felt like he'd been punched in the gut, it was the last thing he expected her to ask.

"We both know I won't be able to trigger the blast; I've spent far too much time and effort in staying alive. Of course, there's also the little matter of Billie's little nugget of news." She looked meaningfully at Sam.

Sam squared his shoulders and nodded. Rowena gave a tight smile, as she patted his arm gently. "I knew you'd understand. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to do a wee bit of research."

"What are you researching?" Sam asked.

"I'm looking for the strongest Ley lines in town, and if my idea works it should boost the payload a bit more. I'll let you know where the best ones are, and you can tell me if they're in the right place for your ambush."

Sam nodded then he folded the map. "I know just the place to look."

Rowena smiled. "I thought you might." Then she cast a look at Dean's whiskey stash. "Perhaps a wee dram or two will help things along."

Sam grinned. "One bottle of the good stuff coming right up. Then we'll head for the library." As Sam fetched the bottle, Rowena conjured two glasses and they walked out of the room together.

It was another two days before the Shedim reached the outskirts of Lebanon. Once they heard the creatures were a few hours out, they set about evacuating the town. One fake tornado warning and a little subliminal prompting by Chuck saw the town empty.

As they waited for Shedim to arrive, Rowena looked at the shuttered windows and sighed. "I always pictured myself dying somewhere like Paris, not Lebanon, Kansas. Aw well, beggars can't be choosers." She lifted her head and smiled determinedly. "Ready whenever you are, Charles." Rowena opened her arms and braced herself.

Chuck nodded as he raised his hand and light streamed from his fingertips. At the same time, Amara released the darkness within her. The air shimmered as they poured their combined power into Rowena.

As Chuck and Amara's powers combined, Sam flinched, expecting to be obliterated. When they didn't explode, Sam released the breath he'd been holding.

As power flowed into Rowena, she began to glow, and Sam heard her gasp as Jack and Cas added their power. Rowena staggered under the onslaught; she'd been right. There was no way Dean would've withstood what was happening to the tiny witch. Rowena's eyes turned violet and ribbons of light rippled across her skin. Finally, Chuck lowered his hand and announced, "That should be enough to take out the Shedim. Now all we have to do is wait."

Sam looked at Dean as he stared at the horizon. To a casual observer, he seemed relaxed, even unconcerned, as he stood with his shotgun resting against his shoulder. But Sam knew it was an act. He'd seen the tell-tale clench of the jaw, and the way Dean kept moving his weight from one foot to the other. Dean was as nervous as he was, and as if Dean felt Sam's gaze on him, he looked up and gave a reassuring wink. His familiar cocky smile slid into place.

Sam took a breath and relaxed, but the moment of calm was short-lived when Dean took a step forward. "What the hell!" He exclaimed. Sam followed his gaze and to his horror, a convoy of cars was heading towards them.

Sam held up his hand and the first car came to a halt. Sam recognized Max's mother, as she opened the window. "You need to get out of here, there's some sort of monsters chasing us! They're only a few minutes behind us." She glanced behind her in terror.

Sam shot Dean a look of alarm as another car door opened and Elliot got out and ran to them, "Sam, Dean, I saw them! They were all scaly and had wicked-looking claws. They're Shedim, right? I've been reading up on monsters. They're some sort of demon. Am I right?" Elliot was breathless with excitement as he bounced up and down in front of the brothers.

"What are we gonna do? It looks like half the town is coming back," Sam asked Dean as more cars appeared.

Dean thought for a moment, then he turned to Cas and Jack. "Get everyone to the Bunker." He dumped his bag of weapons on the ground and pulled out a shotgun.

"What about the plan?" Sam asked as he reached into the bag and pulled out a machete.

Dean bit his lip. "First of all, we're gonna give Cas and Jack cover to get everyone clear. Then me, Chuck and Amara will lure the Shedim to the ambush site."

Sam frowned. "What am I going to be doing?"

Dean stepped closer to Sam and spoke softly. "You need to stick with Rowena and make sure she doesn't…"

"What? Go off to soon? Don't worry about me. I've got another power source I can tap into. Do try and keep up," Rowena challenged, as she raised her arms and began to chant. The ground shook as Rowena reached out and drew power from the Ley lines beneath her feet.

Dean nodded at Rowena as he lifted his shotgun. "Cas, get everyone moving. It's time to have a little fun." He began to walk past the line of cars and on towards the approaching Shedim.

Sam kept pace with Dean, his stomach churning as the first wave came into view. "When I give the signal, get Rowena into position and we'll bring theses fugly bastards to you, alright?" Dean was calm and focused.

Dean's words calmed Sam. Even now he still looked to his brother for reassurance. He smiled determinedly as he nodded to the Shedim. "You take the five hundred on the right, I'll take the five hundred on the left."

Dean laughed. "Didn't have you pegged for an Angel fan, then again you've got hair like that short , Lindsey. Ready to kick it in the ass, little brother?" Dean grinned.

"Try and keep up, old man." Sam sprinted towards the snarling horde. He heard Dean laugh as he followed him into the fray.

They hit the Shedim head-on, Dean shooting them with abandon, leaving Sam to finish them off. Chuck and Amara blasted the creatures as Rowena cast spell after spell.

Sam and Dean were surrounded by snapping and snarling beasts fighting back to back. Sam was forced to duck out of the way of a chunk of masonry as the Shedim tore the post office apart.

Dean turned and grabbed his brother's arm." Cas called, “They're clear, grab Rowena and go!" Sam shot Dean a puzzled look, as he hadn't heard his brother's ring tone. Dean tapped the side of his head and Sam nodded in understanding.

Sam didn't want to leave Dean to face the Shedim without him. But he knew they couldn't risk Rowena getting hurt before they were in place. He looked over at Rowena to see how she was doing. She was still pulling power from the town's Ley lines and continued to cast devastating spells. She easily held the creatures back, but it was time to get into position. Sam turned back to Dean. "Listen, if everything goes to plan, we'll meet back at the Bunker. Ok?"

"Sure thing, now get going, I've got me some evil sons of bitches to kill." Dean grinned and blasted a Shedim in the face.

Sam gave Dean a final smile then ran towards Rowena. As he ran past, he grabbed her hand and pulled her after him. Sam picked his way through the devastated street at speed. "Sam, if you don't slow down, I'm going to break my neck."

Sam stopped running and looked down at Rowena. The tiny witch was breathing hard, her long dress was tattered and torn and one of her heels had snapped off. "Sorry about this," he said as he reached out and swept Rowena up into his arms. He carried her with ease. He'd forgotten how just how small she was, her presence always made her seem much taller. When they made cover, Sam put Rowena down and glanced around the corner of the building. "The coast is clear for now," he told her, but he could hear the battle getting closer.

There was another explosion and Rowena flinched. "How are you holding up?" Sam asked gently.

Rowena looked up at him wide-eyed. "I'm supposed to say I'm fine, aren't I? It what's your brother would do." Her voice trembled.

"Dean's gotten very good at hiding how scared he is. You don't have to lie to me." Sam reached out and gently squeezed her arm.

Rowena wrapped her arms around herself and shivered violently, "In that case, I'm scared, Samuel. I don't want to die."

Sam pulled Rowena close, and hugged her tightly, as he murmured into her hair. "I wish there was another way. I should've found a way to do it."

Rowena pushed away from Sam and smiled. "Oh no you don't, we both know what your brother would do if he lost you. He'd cut a deal and let something even worse than the Shedim loose to get you back." Sam nodded in agreement, then the building beside them shook and windows shattered. As glass rained down, he grabbed Rowena, pulling her tight against him as he moved out of the way of falling glass.

Sam heard Dean shouting above the roars of the approaching creatures. "Hey, you sons of bitches. You want a piece of me, come and get me."

Rowena patted Sam's chest. "That sounds like my cue." Sam's eyes filled with tears, and Rowena reached up and wiped them away, "Stop that, I've led a full and very long life. I'll be glad of the rest. Promise me you won't miss me." She gripped his arm as she looked up into his eyes.

Sam nodded, unable to trust his voice, as Rowena pulled him down and kissed his cheek. "Time to go." She let go of him, spun on her heel and marched out into the open.

The Shedim growled hungrily as she strode towards them. Rowena clenched her fists as she pulled more power from the Ley lines beneath her feet. She smiled at the howling creatures, "Well come on, boys, I thought you ate the likes of me for breakfast." Rowena tossed her head back in defiance as the sun caught her hair, turning it a fiery red.

As Sam aimed, a cold blast of power slammed into him, and a ghostly voice whispered, "A little extra juice for your bullet. After all, I promised Rowena you'd be the one to kill her." With Billie's words still ringing in his ears, he fired, and the bullet stuck Rowena dead centre.

Rowena's eyes flared violet, as blinding white light exploded from her, obliterating everything in its path.

Sam stumbled as the ground shook, and the buildings around him shuddered ominously. He had to get out of there, and he began to scramble over debris, attempting to get clear of the shock waves.

He managed to dodge a chunk of building as it crashed to the ground in front of him. Sam looked up, startled, as more debris rained down. Had he left it too long to make a run for it?

He smiled at the irony; he'd survived fighting the Shedim only to go the way of the Wicked Witch of the West. He hoped Dean wouldn't find him lying under a building with just his feet sticking out.

He'd nearly made it clear of the blast zone when a blast of energy hurled him through the air. He hit the ground with a bone-rattling force that drove the breath from his lungs. Sam looked over, and stared in shock, as the building he and Rowena had been using for cover collapsed.

Sam rolled onto his back, looking up at the smoke-filled sky, and listened to the dying screams of the Shedim. Finally, the screams faded away, and the ensuing silence was deafening. As he lay there Sam couldn't believe he'd survived, he'd been right at ground zero. He knew he should've died in the explosion.

Then Sam realized the blast of power that took him off his feet, had thrown him clear of the danger zone. "Thanks, Rowena," Sam muttered, knowing her final act had been to save his life.

Sam sat up gingerly, rolled his neck and moved his arms and legs, relieved that nothing seemed to be broken. Sam got to his feet and looked around in shock at the devastated town.

He needed to find Dean, and as he picked his way through the rubble, he hoped he was heading in the right direction.

At the same time, Dean was conducting his own frantic search for Sam. He stumbled along, swiping wearily at the blood dripping into his eyes. He ignored the sticky wetness seeping through his clothes, and the way his left arm hung uselessly by his side.

Sam's plan had worked like a charm; they'd driven the Shedim right where they wanted them. Then came a tremendous explosion that lit up the early morning sky, and shook the town like an earthquake. It was then Dean realized his brother was right at ground zero, when Rowena went nuclear.

He'd convinced himself that Sam would be fine. But as he looked at the desolation, he wasn't so sure his faith would be rewarded. He walked past the smouldering remains of the cinema - a casualty of the battle. Dean wondered if the town would be rebuilt, or people would choose to stay away, once news of a monster attack got out.

The air was thick with the cloying stench of burnt flesh. Dean gagged and his eyes watered. He ignored the smell and stumbled on, heading for the crater that had once been Rowena and the Shedim. He sniggered to himself, as he thought that sounded like some weird-assed girl band.

Dean paused and looked around. If he couldn't find Sam in the next five minutes, he'd head for the Bunker. He took a deep breath and tried to push down his feeling of dread. Sam had to have survived, because if he hadn't, then all of this would've been for nothing.

Dean clambered over a fallen lamp post, swayed, and the world swam in and out of focus. He shook his head trying to clear the fog away, but everything remained stubbornly blurry.

Dean heard someone running, and looked up to see Sam come sprinting around the corner. The wave of relief that hit him nearly made his legs buckle.

"Dean!" Sam shouted as he ran towards him.

"Sammy!" Dean took a step and his legs finally gave way. Before he ended up in an undignified heap on the floor, Sam grabbed his arms and slowed their descent. When Dean shouted out in pain, Sam's brow furrowed in sympathy.

"Sorry. Sorry. Man, you're a mess." Sam's initial joy at finding Dean faded when he saw the state his brother was in.

Dean tilted his head back and smirked. "Right back atcha."

"There's not a scratch on me," Sam replied.

"Not where you can see." Dean gently tapped Sam's chest and gave a sad little smile. "We both know it was the only way. I'm still sorry you had to be the one to do it."

Sam covered Dean's hand with his own. "If it hadn't been for Rowena's sacrifice, I don't think we would've beaten them." Sam took a deep breath; he wasn't going to cry. Rowena wouldn't have wanted weeping and wailing, she'd prefer a party. Once they got back to the Bunker, he'd make sure to raise a glass or two to her.

Dean coughed wetly, and clutched at Sam's jacket. Sam flinched at the rattling sound. "You okay?" He asked as Dean tried to pull himself up.

"I'm fine, but we gotta get back to the Bunker. We need to make sure Cas and Jack are okay. We don't know if any of the Shedim went after them and the townsfolk."

"Ok, we're going but I want to make sure you're not bleeding to death first." Sam reached out, determined to see how badly injured Dean was.

Dean tried to bat his hand away, but Sam ignored the weak gesture as he pulled the blood-soaked jacket open. He swallowed sickly when he saw mangled flesh; it looked like Dean had gotten on the wrong end of a Shedim's claws.

Dean grabbed Sam's wrist, then shook his head. They didn't have time for Sam to play Florence Nightingale, they had to get going. "I told you, I'm fine. Come on, we need to get moving."

Dean hauled himself to his feet, ignoring the way the world spun around him. "Let's get back to the car." Dean suddenly went even paler as a horrible thought struck him. "Do you think Baby's alright? I swear if they've hurt my car, I'm gonna march into hell and kill those sons of bitches again." Dean growled and began to move purposefully in the direction of the Impala.

Sam knew better than to argue with Dean when he was worried about Baby. He fell into step beside his brother, ready to give him support if he needed it.

They'd only gone a few steps, when Dean stumbled and grabbed Sam's sleeve to stop himself from falling. Sam could hear Dean wheezing as he struggled to breathe. Dean tried to take a deep breath, but it started a coughing fit. Sam watched in horror, as blood dribbled over his brother's lip, and down his chin.

Dean's knees buckled, and Sam put his arm around him to support his weight. They were still too far away from the car, he needed to find Dean help now. Sam's anxiety increased as Dean's breathing became more laboured. Dean looked up at him, his lips moved, and Sam struggled to make out what he was trying to say. "Dean, what are you trying to tell me?"

Dean smirked at Sam. "Cut your hair, dude, it's blocking your ears." Sam gave his brother a watery smile and Dean smiled back, "I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I'm proud…" Dean's eyes fluttered closed and he became a dead weight in Sam's arms.

Sam lowered Dean to the floor. "Don't you fucking dare, you hear me. Dean! You hang on. I'm getting you out of here," Sam begged as he screamed silently for help.

Sam's prayers were answered when a hand rested on his shoulder, making him start in surprise. He looked up to see Amara standing beside him with a look of concern on her face. He'd assumed once the Shedim were gone, she and Chuck would leave again. "What's wrong, Sam?"

"It's Dean, he's dying," Sam said brokenly.

"Don't worry, we'll take care of Dean." Sam turned to see Chuck kneeling beside them. As he reached for Dean the street faded away, and Sam found himself back in the Bunker.

Their sudden appearance in the middle of the War Room caused panic. People started screaming in fear, as Castiel and Jack came running towards the sound. "Sam, what's happened?" Castiel crouched in front of the brothers as Chuck put his hand on Dean's chest. The bleeding stopped at once, his breathing eased as his skin went from grey to a healthy tan once more.

Chuck sat back with a satisfied smile on his face. "I saw a Shedim using Dean as a chew toy earlier. I managed to smite it before it tore him apart. But before I could heal him, Dean was gone."

"I couldn't lie around all day, you know. Places to go, fuglies to kill." Dean grinned cockily.

Dean patted his body; the bleeding had stopped, and his left arm felt like it belonged to him again. He looked gratefully at Chuck. "Thanks, I wasn't sure I was going to make it back to the Bunker."

Chuck got to his feet, "You're right, you wouldn't have made it back. Internal injuries can still be quite challenging, even for me. It's all a matter of fine control. I rather enjoyed the practice." He smiled down at Dean as he held out his hand to help him up.

"If it's all the same to you, I think I'll pass on doing that again." Dean nodded his thanks and then he realized where he was. "We're back at the Bunker? Crap! Baby." Dean was about to go charging off when Amara stopped to him.

"Don't worry, your girl's safe in the garage. You didn't think my brother would let me leave her behind, did you?" Amara smiled fondly at Chuck.

Dean noticed Sam was still kneeling on the floor, his face was white, and he was shaking. He crouched beside his brother. "Come on, Sam. I don't know about you, but I could do with a drink."

Sam lifted his head, and Dean was struck with how young and frightened he looked. It took a moment till Sam realized where he was and who was talking to him. Sam surged to his feet, pulling Dean into a fierce hug as he tried to stifle a sob. "Easy there, Tiger. I'm okay, we both are." Dean let Sam cling to him a little while longer. It seemed Sam wasn't the only one who needed to be close to his brother.

As Dean stood there, he still didn't quite believe they'd made it out in one piece. Sam finally let go and stepped away. Dean reached out and squeezed his shoulder. "You okay there, Sammy?" Sam nodded as he wiped his face, his eyes still red and bloodshot.

"I'm breaking out the good stuff. Who wants a drink?" Dean looked around and noticed the horrified looks he was getting from people. He shot Sam a quizzical look, and his brother pointed at his jacket. Dean looked down and winced at the amount of blood on his clothing. "Maybe I should go and changed first though."

Sam grinned at him. "Ya think?"

"I'll be right back. Don't start the party without me." Dean winked at Sam as he turned to leave.

Elliott came running towards them. "Sam, Dean, you've gotta see this. It's awesome!" Elliott babbled excitedly as he handed Sam his phone. Sam stared at the screen in shock.

"What's up?" Dean didn't like the way his brother was going green around the gills at whatever was on Elliot's phone.

"Dean, you need to see this." Sam handed him Elliott's phone. Dean touched the screen and a video clip started to play. Dean nearly dropped the phone as he saw him and Sam battling the Shedim.

Judging by the shaky camera work, it looked like the footage had been shot out of the back of a moving car. He tried not to smile as he watched himself unload both barrels into a Shedim. Then Sam stepped in to finish the job by decapitating it.

Dean realized that Sam was waiting for a response. He scowled at the screen and barked, "What the hell?"

"Stephen was live-streaming the Shedim attack on his Facebook and Twitter feed. Isn't it awesome?" Elliott exclaimed excitedly.

Sam shook his head. "Not really, we usually try to stay under the radar."

Dean shrugged. "He's only a kid. We've got nothing to worry about. It's probably only been watched a few times."

Sam watched the rapidly rising hit counter at the bottom of the screen. It was time to burst Dean's bubble. "Considering it's been out there for about an hour, it's already got half a million hits. And that's just on this platform. If he uploaded it to YouTube, who knows how many people have seen it."

Dean snatched the phone back and watched in mounting horror as the hits continued to rise. "Sam, you gotta get on to Facespace and get it taken down," he demanded.

"It's called Facebook, and I can't see Mark Zuckerberg responding to a cease and desist notice from us."

"This is just awesome! We save the world, only to get arrested because the Feds realize we're alive." Dean threw up his hands in frustration.

Sam stood there with a thoughtful look on his face, and Dean asked hopefully. "You got an idea how to get us out of this mess?"

Sam frowned. "If we're lucky, people might think this is guerrilla advertising for a found footage horror movie," he muttered as he scrolled down the comments.

Dean looked blankly at Sam. "Come again? I'm sorry, I don't speak nerd."

Sam rolled his eyes, ready to lecture Dean on the finer points of social media and film marketing, when Max came towards them. "This hashtag has just appeared on Twitter." She showed Sam her phone.

Sam scrolled down the screen and groaned softly. "What now?" Dean asked resignedly.

"#SavedbytheWinchesters is trending and it's linked to Stephen's video." Sam huffed in frustration. "'There are hundreds of tweets here. I'm not even sure we can stop it now." Sam handed the phone to Dean.

Dean looked at the screen, sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. This was completely beyond him. All he knew was he and Sam were all over the internet. He groaned softly as he saw a list of his favourite aliases. It was going to be a bitch to hunt after this. In desperation, Dean turned to Chuck. "Feel like smiting the internet for us?"

Chuck shook his head. "And lose my blog with my collection of funny cat videos? Never." Chuck looked thoughtful. "Perhaps it's time people learned what's out there."

Dean rolled his eyes and sighed. "Thank you, Agent Mulder. Well Sam, what are we going to do now the truth is out there? I think that move to Yemen is finally on the cards."

Before Sam could answer, someone started hammering on the Bunker's door. Everyone looked up fearfully and Dean was on the move. He strode over to the table and reached underneath it. He pulled out a gun, tossed it to Sam, then went to a filing cabinet to retrieve another gun. He gestured to Sam as they moved forward, their guns trained on the door.

"Do you want me to go and answer it?" Jack asked.

Sam thought about it for a moment; there was no way it was a Shedim or any other sort of monster. Monsters tended not to knock politely. "Ok, but be careful," Sam cautioned as Jack walked towards the stairs.

The air was thick with tension as Jack reached the door and opened it. He stepped outside and everyone waited with bated breath. When he returned, he looked down at Sam and said, "There are some men here to see you and Dean. They're from the Secret Service, and they want to ask you about warding the White House against a supernatural attack. Should I let them in?"

Six months later

Since that day the world found out about the supernatural and hunters, the Winchesters' lives had become even more chaotic.

It started with a trip to Washington to help the Secret Service demon proof the White House.

While they worked, Sam watched Dean like a hawk, in case he got the urge to slip a souvenir or two into his pocket. He didn't want to get back to the Bunker to find Dean doodling with the President's pen.

The first problem they encountered was how to draw warding sigils, and a key of Solomon in the Oval Office. To Sam's horror, Dean suggested tearing up the carpet. As Dean reached for his crowbar, their Secret Service escort offered them an alternative.

The agent handed them several cans of invisible ultraviolet spray paint. They were also handed special goggles that allowed them to see the paint. As they got to work warding the office, Dean started to hum the Mission Impossible theme. By the twentieth time he heard it, Sam was ready to throttle his brother, but if the look on the agent's face was anything to go by, Dean was about to be dragged off and thrown in a cell. Sam hoped that was the case, he could do with the peace.

Once they'd finished, the White House was covered with every ward and sigil they could think of. Their next job saw them in a room full of military personnel and Secret Service. They gave them lessons on how to make rock salt rounds and silver bullets. Sam also suggested having holy water in the sprinkler system, in case of a demon attack.

When they returned from Washington, Dean tried to carry on hunting as normal. But they found themselves surrounded by adoring fans, clamouring for selfies. At first, Dean felt flattered by the attention, but it lost its appeal when he couldn't even eat a cheeseburger in peace. The situation came to a head when Sam in mid salt and burn, was almost gutted by a homicidal ghost, because a fan wanted a selfie with him.

Dean wanted to blast the moron with rock salt, but Sam stopped him before he had the chance.

When they got back to the Bunker, Sam suggested they lay low for a while. Just until the fuss died down, and Dean's blood pressure was back to normal.

While they were on lockdown in the Bunker, the phones never stopped ringing. People were begging for help, and hunters rang, needing their expertise with lore. Dean spent his time trying to deal with as many calls as possible, while Sam researched.

With hunts piling up, Dean had no choice but to start reaching out to other hunters. This was happening more and more. One day, as they sat in the War room grabbing a bite to eat, Dean complained he felt like a police dispatcher.

Sam took a bite of his sandwich, and looked down at the map on the table. He suddenly looked up and said, "How about if we resurrect the Men of Letters hunter network?"

Sam leaned forward excitedly, as he outlined his plan for the new and improved network. It made Dean happy to see Sam so enthusiastic about something again. Sam hadn't been the same since the whole Michael crap fest. Especially after Michael broke free, and slaughtered the hunters under Sam's command.

From that moment Sam hated being in the Bunker, preferring to spend as much time on the road as possible. But if this turn of events meant Sam was once again happy in their home, then Dean was all for it.

Sam, Dean, Castiel and Jack got to work, reaching out to hunters to explain what they were attempting. There were a surprising number of hunters who liked Sam's idea. And soon the Bunker became the nerve centre for the fledging network. They were dealing with more and more calls, and soon became too much for them to handle. It meant they often worked late into the night, and it wasn't long before they were exhausted.

They were all running on fumes, even Cas was starting to look a little frazzled. One day when Dean was on yet another coffee run, he talked about how busy they'd become. The next day Sam was stunned to find a group of volunteers from town at their door. They were all ready and willing to help with the new network.

Sam was in his element, as he showed his recruits the digitalized Men of Letters Archive and how to operate it. It didn't take long for the Network to start running smoothly, and Dean began to think about hunting again.

Before he had a chance to broach the subject with Sam, they received a visit from a couple of F.B.I. agents. Special Agents Prentiss and Rossi weren’t there to arrest them, but to ask for help. A new Supernatural Crime unit was being set up, and they wanted Sam and Dean's input.

After the agents left, and several beers and whiskey chasers later, Sam suggested Dean handle practical training at Quantico, while he trained agents and analysts the art of Supernatural research in the Bunker. Then going forward, he’d help them create their own database. Dean stared at Sam, a part of him was happy to be out on the road again. That joy was tempered by the fear of making himself look like an idiot, in front of a roomful of FEDS. Dean poured himself another drink to try and settle his nerves.

Sam smiled. "Don't worry, you'll be fine. You taught me how to hunt. Remember?" He said encouragingly.

"You're my brother. You had to listen to me, and besides, dad was the one who taught you."

Sam snorted. "Come on, you know how we butted heads. Dad may have drilled us until we could field strip a gun in the dark, but you were the one who explained why I needed to be able to do it. You had patience, dad was a drill sergeant. Believe me, you were the better teacher."

Dean rubbed the back of his neck. "Maybe, but I'm not sure my old reward system will work with the FEDS. I can't see them leaping for joy, when I offer them a bowl of Lucky Charms, if they get something right." He smiled ruefully.

Sam sat forward. "You're Dean Winchester, the best hunter there is. They're damn lucky to have you teaching them."

Dean ducked his head and smiled shyly at his brother's belief in him. He'd thought about who he could pass his knowledge of hunting on to. He would never have imagined he'd be teaching a roomful of FEDS. He wondered how they’d cope with learning how to set traps for Kelpies, or get rid of Poltergeists. Perhaps it might be fun to shake the stick from up their collective asses.

"Do you think I'll get an apple on my desk?" He asked with a grin.

Sam laughed and shook his head. "No, but if you're lucky, they won't shoot you for being a smartass." Sam reached for his laptop. "Now we need to work on your lesson plan!" Dean groaned softly as Sam typed.

Dean yawned as he turned off the Impala's engine. It had taken him three days to get back from Quantico. He was taking a break after teaching his latest Hunter 101 course. He was ready for a couple of cold beers, and the chance to get reacquainted with his memory foam mattress. He just hoped it hadn't forgotten him. It seemed like an age since he'd been home.

He wouldn't call his class of agents ‘hunters’, but at least they knew what was out there now. There were several agents he'd trust to watch his back. But the others still couldn't shake the whole _we're Federal agents and we follow the rules_. It was like having a class full of Mulders and Scullys. He smacked the steering wheel.

That was it! He'd have the Scullys and Mulders partnered up. That way they stood a chance of surviving a supernatural encounter. Feeling pleased with himself, he opened the door and climbed out stiffly. Dean moaned softly as he stretched to work the kinks out of his back. He grabbed his bag, and headed for the front door of the Bunker with a smile on his face. He'd die before he admitted it, but he'd missed Sam, Cas, and Jack.

Once he was inside, Dean headed for the meeting room. It didn't matter it was Friday night; he knew that's where he'd find Sam.

Dean grinned as he walked into the room. He was right. There was Sam with his group of agents, still working hard. Sam looked up and smiled, "Hey, how was Quantico?" He asked as he walked over to Dean.

Dean put his bag on the table and shrugged. "The same as always. They keep trying to do everything by the book. I keep telling them, monsters don't play by the rules, so quit yelling ‘freeze F.B.I.’ at them." Dean smirked evilly at Sam. "So, we did a little role play and I got to play the bad guy."

"Oh god, what did you do?" Sam asked warily, wondering if he'd have to ring the Director of the F.B.I. again to apologize.

Dean shrugged. "Nothing much. But there's a group of Federal Agents who've got a healthy respect for Werewolves now." He winked cheekily at Sam." You got anything interesting?" Dean asked, changing the subject.

Sam looked at the tablet in his hand. "There's a group of rogue vampires down in New Orleans. An unauthorized Werewolf pack in Wisconsin, and a ghoul problem over in Bakersfield. I've got hunters on the way."

Dean nodded. "As long as the vamps aren't being emo and sparkly all over the place like Robert Pattinson, we'll be fine. Anything you want me to take on?"

Sam shook his head. "It's all taken care of. Besides, I thought you might want a break. You've been working non-stop for weeks."

Dean rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged. "Standing in front of a classroom of Feds ain't working. You know I like to stay sharp." Dean sighed. He'd been hoping that Sam would be able to provide him with a good old-fashioned down and dirty hunt. He still kind of missed having grave dirt and blood under his fingernails.

Dean glanced around the room, and realized that Team Freewill 2.0 was down a couple of members. "Where's Cas and Jack?"

"They're on their way back from a job. They've been dealing with an outbreak of Zombies in Atlanta. Cas was helping to organize the police response," Sam replied.

"Damn, they have all the fun," Dean muttered.

Just then, the Bunker's door opened, and Cas and Jack walked in. Jack was engrossed in a paperback book and seemed oblivious to his surroundings. Cas spotted the brothers and walked over to them. "Hello Sam. Hello Dean, how was Quantico?" Cas inquired.

"Boring as usual. How was Atlanta?"

"Tense. A necromancer razed an entire cemetery, and the city was in danger of being overrun by zombies."

"You should've called me; I would've brought some of the trainees with me. I'd like to see how they'd cope with Zombies. I've got a guy called Morgan in the class who thinks he's got hunting pegged. But there's nothing like being chased through a cemetery by a pack of starving Zombies to give you a fresh perspective on things." Dean turned his attention to Jack, who was still avidly reading his book. "Hey Jack, what are you reading?"

Jack looked up and smiled at Dean. "Eliot found these on Amazon for me. Were you and Sam really teddy bear doctors?" Jack asked as he held the book up for Dean to see.

Dean growled as he reached out and grabbed it. "Crap! I can't believe these things are still available." He glared at the lurid cover; his lip curled in disgust.

The Sam and Dean on the cover looked ridiculous. 'He' was a blue steeling six-pack Ken doll. And Sam was all long blond hair and bulging biceps. To make it worse they were half-naked; they wouldn't last five minutes in the real world dressed like that. If a monster didn't gank them, then other hunters would die laughing at them.

"Not only are they still available, but they're now number one on the New York Times Bestseller list. The Bible never managed that, it's very satisfying." Dean nearly dropped the book in shock, as Chuck appeared beside him with a smile on his face.

Chuck's smile dimmed a little, as he was surrounded by steely-eyed Federal Agents. They had their guns pointing at him, and some of them were chanting exorcisms.

"Whoa, stand down. You'll embarrass yourselves." Dean waved the agents away. "What brings you back here? Come to collect your royalties?" Dean asked as he waved the book at Chuck.

Chuck took the book off Dean and stared thoughtfully at the cover. "That's a good point." He looked up with an enthusiastic smile on his face. "I think I'll set up an account for the hunter's network, and have the royalties sent there."

"Beats credit card fraud. Talk to Sam about it. The Network's his baby. I just go where he tells me." Dean shrugged.

"Ignore him, Chuck. It might've been my idea, but Dean was instrumental in recruiting some of the more sceptical hunters out there." Sam smiled warmly as he shook Chuck's hand.

Jack looked at Cas. "I thought Dean threatened to break the legs of any hunter who didn't sign up?"

Sam coughed. "As I said, Dean was very convincing."

Chuck's smile broadened as Dean smiled proudly. "Actually, it's the Network I want to talk about. And I need a favour."

Sam straightened up. "Sure, whatever you want."

Chuck looked over at the unfriendly stares of the F.B.I. agents and Sam followed his gaze. "Guys, haven’t I told you that not everything Supernatural is evil? Investigate it, and then if they're not hurting people, you leave them alone. How about we talk in the Library?" Sam said as he ushered Chuck out of the War Room.

"I want to start by saying you've done a great job in creating a worldwide hunter's network," Chuck said to Sam as he sat down.

Sam looked at him in shock. "Hold on, there's only a network here in America. I haven't spoken to any hunters from other countries."

"True, you haven't," Chuck said meaningfully as he looked at Dean.

Dean shrugged. "Last time I spoke to Ketch, I told him what you were doing. He seemed pretty interested. Then he said he was heading home; there was something he wanted to do."

Chuck nodded. "The something Ketch wanted to do, was stage a coup against his previous employers. He's running the British Men of Letters these days. He spread the word about your network to the other chapters around the world. He suggested Sam's new network became the blueprint for dealing with the Supernatural. Arthur will be calling you soon, to put the global network at your disposal." Chuck beamed proudly at Sam, as Dean patted him on the back.

"That's great news, but what's the hunter network got to do with the favour you want?" Sam asked.

"It's got plenty to do with it. During mine and Amara's family time we travelled to many different dimensions. I began to realize there were worlds on the brink of sharing the same fate as Michael's Apocalypse world. I don't know if I can stand by and let that happen." Chuck said, as he folded his hands in front of him.

Dean's eyebrows raised. "So you're gonna swing in and start smiting, then?"

Chuck shook his head. "No. I meant it when I said I was done helicopter parenting. But I happen to know a group of individuals, who could help organize hunters and save people. Since you've done such a great job setting up Hunter Network here, I wondered if you'd like to see if it would work in other dimensions."

As Dean listened to Chuck, his mind raced at the prospect of hunting on other worlds. He thought about all the people they could save, and all the evil sons of bitches they could kill. No matter what he said about retiring, he was still a hunter at heart. But if Sam wasn't on board with this, then he'd happily carry on playing nursemaid to a bunch of FEDS.

Sam was staring at the table, lost in thought, when he felt Dean's eyes on him. He lifted his head and met his brother's eyes. Sam had a smile on his face, and a determined look in his eyes, and Dean knew exactly what it meant. "What do you say, Sammy. Ready to take the family business on the road?"

Since they'd said yes to Chuck's request, Dean had been raring to go. If it had been left to him, they would've been packed and ready to ship out in under an hour. But he knew Sam wanted to make sure the network would run smoothly without him. Sam spent the next week making frantic preparations for their departure. Every time Dean saw his brother, he was making page after page of notes for Bobby.

While Sam worked, Dean didn't sit around idly. He tuned the Impala until she was running like a dream, then cleaned and checked their weapons, ready to load them into the trunk.

At long last, it was time for them to head out, and Dean was taking one last look around his room. His weapons were already stowed in the Impala's trunk, and his bag was packed and ready on his bed. He picked it up and patted his beloved memory foam mattress, hoping that one day they'd be reunited. He straightened and walked to the door to give his room a final look. He was more than a little sad to be leaving the first real home he and Sam had ever had together.

He might have been sad about leaving the Bunker, but he'd never regret his decision to see other worlds. The best part was he'd have his family with him. With that thought in his mind, he turned out the light, and closed the door behind him.

Dean made his way to the garage, nodding at people as he passed them. Elliot looked up from his work on the new Men of Letters database, and waved excitedly. Dean passed a group of Feds and Hunters, debating which guns were the most effective against the Supernatural. The conversation died away as they silently acknowledged Dean. Then one of the hunters spoke, "Give ‘em hell, Dean, and if you want any backup **……..** "

Dean grinned, "I know, Abe, don't call you. Try not to let this place fall apart while we're gone."

"Hell no! I'm terrified of your mother and what she'd do to us if we broke Sam's shiny new toy. You boys be careful out there." Abe smiled warmly.

"You know me, careful is my middle name. Now if you'll excuse me, I better not keep Sam waiting too long, or else he might start filming Ted Talks to inspire you." Dean winked at Abe.

"I swear I'll put a bullet in my laptop, if your brother pops up and starts spouting crap about self-belief, and the healing properties of kale," Abe replied with a laugh.

Dean left the group, and as he walked into the garage, he spotted Sam talking to Bobby and their mom. At first, Mary had been adamant she was going to come with them. Dean was firmly against that idea; he was going to have enough on his plate keeping Sam, Cas, and Jack safe. He didn't need the extra worry of watching out for his mom as well. Fortunately, Bobby managed to convince her to stay and help run the Network.

As Dean joined them Mary was hugging Sam, and when they broke apart, he saw her eyes were filled with tears. She blinked rapidly and an errant tear made its way down her face. She quickly wiped it away as she turned to her eldest son. "Hey Dean, you ready to go?" She asked with an overly bright smile on her face.

"Yup, I'm packed and ready to roll. Has Sam finished giving you his orders yet?" Dean asked, ignoring Sam's frustrated huff.

"We've got spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations and the hunters’ equivalent of War and Peace in the library. My guess is he's good to go." Bobby grumbled as he scratched his beard.

"I wanted to make sure I'd got everything covered," Sam said unrepentantly.

"Sam, unless the Kardashians go dark side and try to take over the world, we're golden," Dean replied.

"I think he covered that in Chapter Thirty-Two," Bobby quipped dryly as Dean grinned at his fuming brother.

Dean turned to his mom as she opened her arms wide. Dean gladly stepped into her embrace and as they hugged, she whispered. "You take care of yourself and Sam. I've warned Cas if he lets anything happen to either of you, I'm going to hunt him down and kick his ass."

Dean smiled as he breathed in the comforting scent of motel shampoo and gun oil. The familiar Winchester fragrance. "Don't worry, I'll look after Sammy. I promise we'll make it back here someday."

"I know you will. Now go out there and kick it in the ass." Mary squeezed Dean tightly, then stepped back, her hand lingering on Dean's shoulder.

Dean couldn't find the words to say goodbye to his mother. Instead, he nodded, picked up his bag and turned toward the Impala. He looked up, and saw Chuck deep in conversation with Cas and Jack.

Dean couldn't hear what they were discussing, but if he had to hazard a guess, Chuck was probably giving them a final briefing. For the last few days, Jack had been hard at work learning to open portals, and now he had it down to a fine art.

Dean looked away and opened the trunk. He heard a low whistle from Sam. He looked up and grinned at the mesmerized look on Sam's face. Even by Winchester standards, the number of weapons he'd packed was impressive.

"Expecting a little trouble?" Sam asked with a smile.

"We're not going into this naked. For all we know, we're about to drop into the middle of a freaking war zone." Dean picked up a gun, checked it, then put it back. He paused for a moment, and then turned to Sam.

"You sure you're ok with this? ‘Cause if you're not, I'll go over there and tell Chuck he can ask someone else to go and save his multiverse." Dean waited. If Sam had even the slightest doubt about doing this, he was going to call a halt to the whole thing.

Sam squared his shoulders, and looked around the garage. For a moment his gaze lingered on their mom, then he looked at Dean. "To be honest, I wasn't all that sure about doing this at first, but I'm good to go now."

"What changed your mind?"

Sam sighed. "After what happened with Michael, I wasn't sure if I could face someone like him again. Then I realized I can't sit here in the Bunker when we have the chance to prevent it from happening somewhere else." Sam put his bag into the trunk and fixed Dean with a determined look, "I'm ready to get out there and kick some ass."

Dean patted Sam on the shoulder, smiling proudly at him. "Sounds good to me. Do you know where we're going first?"

"I asked Cas. Apparently we're heading to a world that's got a real vampire problem," Sam replied.

"Does Chuck want us to start training slayers? Awesome! I say we get you a tweed jacket, some glasses, call you Giles and we're golden." Dean smirked at Sam.

Sam rolled his eyes. "Very funny, but you're partly right. Chuck wants us to help train more hunters, as well as establishing safe zones for civilians. When that's done, we'll start work on a Hunters Network."

Dean nodded as he stared thoughtfully into the distance. Sam knew his brother was already working on a plan. Dean would have heavily fortified camps, surrounded by vampire traps, operational in a matter of days. Then he'd get to work on training the civilians to defend themselves against vampires.

Dean hummed thoughtfully. "Ok. After we've dealt with the fang problem what happens next?"

"According to Cas, when we're finished, he'll pray to Chuck, and Chuck will send him coordinates for our next job. Sound familiar?" Sam answered with a smile.

Dean let out a bark of laughter. "Seriously? Man, the more things change, the more they stay the same." Dean's smile dimmed as he looked around the garage. "Do you think we'll ever make it back here?" He asked softly.

Sam shrugged. "I'm sure we'll be back here one day. You never know. You might find yourself a hot lady hunter on another world and finally settle down." Sam teased.

"Naw, that's not for me. Besides, who's gonna watch out for the three of you if I'm gone." Dean looked meaningfully at Sam as he patted the Impala. "Do you think I'd trust you to take care of my Baby?"

"I'm surprised you're bringing her with us. I thought you might've let her sit this one out."

Dean shook his head, "She's an important part of the team, and as long as she's with us, we'll have a roof over our heads."

Sam gave the Impala a sceptical look. "Won't it get a bit cramped in there with the four of us?"

"I admit it will be a little cosy, but as long as you lay off the refried bean burritos, we should be fine. Otherwise, I'm breaking out gas masks for me and Jack. Cas doesn't need to breathe so he should be fine." Dean smirked at the epic bitch face Sam gave him. It was time to get going.

Dean reached up to close the Impala's trunk. As he did, he said to Sam, "Come on, we've got work to do."


End file.
